Bright ideas

Add vibrant colour to mealtimes with these delicious recipes – all taken with a pinch of salt

Maldon salt blood orange olive oil cake

250ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing

5 blood oranges

250g golden caster sugar

150g plain flour

80g semolina

2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of Maldon salt

1 orange, zested and juiced

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs

Crème fraîche, to serve

● Grease a 20cm round cake tin with olive oil and line the base with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5.

● Take the blood oranges and carefully cut into rounds, as thin as you can.

● Sprinkle 30g of the sugar over the paper on the bottom of the cake tin. Arrange the orange slices in a circular pattern on top. Squeeze the remaining juice from the end pieces of the blood oranges over, then set aside while you make the batter.

● In a large bowl mix together the plain flour, semolina, baking powder and salt. Adding salt to your baking will help enhance the flavours and balance sweetness and acidity.

● In a smaller bowl mix together the orange juice and zest, vanilla extract and olive oil.

● Place the eggs and remaining sugar in a stand mixer – or use an electric whisk – and beat them together until the mixture is pale and fluffy.

● Next add the dry ingredients, followed by the wet ingredients, and beat the mixture until smooth.

● Pour the cake batter into the tin on top of the orange slices. Smooth over the top.

● Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until the cake is golden brown on top and cooked through.

● Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the tin then turn it upside down on to a plate and peel off the baking paper.

● Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing and serving with a dollop of crème fraîche.